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Samsung grabs exclusive access to new ITV Player app until August 31 for Android users in the UK

Samsung has today snatched the exclusive rights to an updated version of the ITV Player app for its Android smartphones and tablets being sold in the UK.

The app is available right now through the Samsung Apps and Google Play store on a range of devices including the Samsung Galaxy S4, its new flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet and the recently unveiled Galaxy Mega. Samsung says the app has also been optimized for older hardware, including the Galaxy SIII and SII, Galaxy Note and Note II, and Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet.

If you don’t own one of these devices, however, fear not. Samsung only has exclusivity up until August 31, after which point the updated app will be available to everyone through the Google Play store.

The ITV Player app gives users access to the last 30 days of catch-up content provided by the network from all of its channels including ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV.

The updated version includes a new user interface and an improved playback mode for watching episodes on the move. Streaming is supported over 3G and 4G, as well as WiFi, and will be supported by all Android devices running version 2.3 (Gingerbread) and above.

“We are very excited to have launched the new ITV Player app on Samsung devices,” James Micklethwait, Online Product Director at ITV said. “The fragmentation of the Android ecosystem is well-known therefore, as a commercial broadcaster, it makes sense for us to partner with the leading manufacturer of Android devices to further increase our technical knowledge of the operating system.”

Claiming exclusivity for a media app such as ITV is a bold move for Samsung. The limited window restricts its significance somewhat, but it shows the smartphone manufacturer’s influence and power over content providers in the UK.

Samsung is keen to promote any and all exclusive software features it has pre-installed on its latest range of smartphones and tablets. Throwing the new ITV Player app into the mix will only improve its offering for potential consumers.